New York eHealth Collaborative Asks New Yorkers to Help Shape State's Healthcare... -- NEW YORK, April 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

New York eHealth Collaborative Asks New Yorkers to Help Shape State's Healthcare Future -- Vote on Patient Portal for New Yorkers Prototypes
Public Voting for Patient Portal Designs Begins Online April 13th

New York eHealth Collaborative Logo. (PRNewsFoto/New York eHealth Collaborative)

NEW YORK, April 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) announced today that starting April 13th, New Yorkers across the state are invited and encouraged to start voting for their favorite Patient Portal designs online at: www.patientportalfornewyorkers.org. Once built, the portal will be a website where New Yorkers can securely access their healthcare records from their healthcare providers. The portal will begin to be available to the public in 2014.

To build an innovative design that New Yorkers can easily use, NYeC ran a design challenge, asking designers and developers to submit portal prototypes. Now, the general public is being asked to vote on which designs they like best—helping to shape the future of healthcare in New York State.

"The Patient Portal was created with one goal in mind: to make it easier for any patient to access their medical records online," said David Whitlinger, Executive Director of the New York eHealth Collaborative. "The Patient Portal is being designed by New Yorkers, for New Yorkers, tapping into the innovative, creative, and community spirit of New Yorkers."

New Yorkers will have from April 13th until April 23rd to vote for their favorite portals based on user friendliness, format, and design. The prototypes with the strongest responses will be invited to present their project at two different public presentations—New York City, NY on April 30th, and Buffalo, NY on May 2nd.

After first, second, and third place winners are announced in early May, NYeC will begin building the portal and coordinate its function on top of the Statewide Health Information Network of New York (SHIN-NY), a secure network for sharing clinical patient data across New York State via Regional Health Information Organizations.

The Patient Portal for New Yorkers will allow New Yorkers full access to their health records online safely and securely. Once patients log into the portal, they will be able see a list of people who have viewed their medical records, as well as grant access to select providers to view their medical records online. The final Patient Portal will comply with all national and federal policies and standards to ensure that all personal health data and information remains private and secure.

"The Patient Portal, by enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of health records access, is a prime example of how health IT informs and empowers patients and improves healthcare delivery," said Nirav R. Shah, M.D., M.P.H., New York State Commissioner of Health.

About The New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC): NYeC is a not-for-profit organization, working in partnership with the New York State Department of Health to improve healthcare for all New Yorkers through health information technology (health IT). Founded in 2006 by healthcare leaders, NYeC receives funding from state and federal grants to serve as the focal point for health IT in the State of New York. NYeC works to develop policies and standards, to assist healthcare providers in making the shift to electronic health records, and to coordinate the creation of the Statewide Health Information Network of New York (SHIN-NY), a network to connect healthcare providers statewide. For more information about NYeC, visit www.nyehealth.org and @NYeHealth.